Shade Tree Mechanics

Before I left for Colorado, my dad asked if I could help him work on the Toyota Hilux.  This truck belonged to my mom's dad and was bought originally in 74.  He passed away several years ago, and my mom always had plans of bringing it back to Virginia and restoring it.  My dad and his brother had done a lot of restoration work on it, replacing old hoses and seals on the drivetrain and engine.  They also prepped it for body work as it had a few rust holes in it.  It had been repainted the original pea green, and was pretty much restored back to factory condition.  Somehow, while replacing a seal on the tail of the transmission, something had knocked loose and the transmission was completely locked up.  The plan was to drop the transmission and check why the forks were bound up.  I hadn't worked on a car with my dad since I was 10, when he taught me basic mechanics on a 1977 Datsun 280z.  I am always appreciative that he got me started in maintaining my own vehicles, which got me started on more complicated repairs and modifications.  It was pretty awesome to be under a car with him again.